Naomi Watts claims motherhood is the "hardest thing"

The 44-year-old actress - who has sons Alexander, two, and Kai, 18 months, with long-term partner Liev Schreiber- didn`t plan to have children late in life and thinks their closeness in age makes raising them extra difficult, but doesn`t regret her life decisions.

She said: "I didn`t ever think I would be having kids this late. Then two under the age of two in diapers - it`s the hardest thing I`ve ever done, but the most rewarding."

Naomi didn`t find acting success until she was cast in `Mulholland Drive` aged 31 but she still felt comfortably established enough to take time off to have her children.

She added to Britain`s Marie Claire magazine: "I didn`t really worry a bout having time off. My career started late, so by the time I was ready to have children, I felt like I had enough body of work under my belt. I was ready to say, `OK, let`s slow this down a little bit.` "